The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill introduced as a private members Bill earlier this year by Winchester MP, Danny Chambers MRCVS, has passed into law.

The new law allows the Government to: 

• raise the minimum age at which dogs and cats can be imported into the UK (as pets) from 15 weeks to 6 months.
• ban the import of heavily pregnant dogs and cats — specifically animals more than 42 days pregnant.
• prohibit the import of dogs and cats that have undergone mutilations (such as ear-cropping, tail-docking, declawing of cats).
• limit how many pet animals may be brought into the country under non-commercial rules to no more than 5 animals per vehicle, or 3 per foot/air passenger.

• require that the owner travels with the pets, or within 5 days of the pets arriving.

Danny said: “As a vet, I've treated many dogs with cruelly cropped ears or docked tails, leaving them physically scarred and emotionally traumatised.

"Knowing this Bill will help us put a stop to this abuse and have a bigger impact on animal welfare than I could possibly have achieved in a lifetime treating individual animals, demonstrates how important this legislation will prove to be.

"Thanks to the support of organisations like the BVA and other animal welfare nonprofits, we got the Animal Welfare Bill through the Commons, through the Lords, and today passed into law." 

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